Valdis Story: Abyssal City

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 87 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 87
  3. Negative: 11 out of 87

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  1. Zero_Tactics
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    If you've cut your gaming teeth on Mega Man, Castlevania or Metroid, you will feel right at home playing this game. It won't cuddle you like modern games that are built to make you feel good by holding your hand while giving you the illusion of challenge and danger. It's a great experience with beautiful art, awesome music, lovely animations and great gameplay. There are 4 playableIf you've cut your gaming teeth on Mega Man, Castlevania or Metroid, you will feel right at home playing this game. It won't cuddle you like modern games that are built to make you feel good by holding your hand while giving you the illusion of challenge and danger. It's a great experience with beautiful art, awesome music, lovely animations and great gameplay. There are 4 playable characters (2 unlocked from the start) that have different powers and combat style giving good replayability to this title. The game punishes foolishness or sloppy gaming, but is very rewarding for being smart in analyzing challenges and using your skills correctly. In a way, it reminds me of Dark Souls for giving a difficult but exciting experience. I'd easily recommend this to anyone that loved the old Mega Man or the Castlevania titles on Nintendo DS… Expand
  2. Ezkimo42o
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    First thing is first, the other reviews I have read on this giving this game a 1 is utter and total ****

    Let me start by saying I am a metroidvania enthusiast, I live for these games and they are my favorite genre in the fastness of video games. I grew up with super metroid and to this day is my favorite game of all time, the "what the do I do next thing" sold the whole franchise to    First thing is first, the other reviews I have read on this giving this game a 1 is utter and total ****

    Let me start by saying I am a metroidvania enthusiast, I live for these games and they are my favorite genre in the fastness of video games. I grew up with super metroid and to this day is my favorite game of all time, the "what the do I do next thing" sold the whole franchise to me. SoTN just nailed it in every way possible. In other words: I've been waiting for Valdis Story: Abyssal City for years.

    On the surface the game is tight, as in the controls and the overall JRPG is there, but its a action RPG. It feels sometimes like a action fighting game, kind of like devil may cry, where the combos are so different depending on what you hit (jump included). The combat focuses on melee, and uses magic as a means of navigation, kind of like metroids' ability's.

    I will admit the crafting interface could be a little easier to do, like maybe check a item you want to farm for, so you can see your progress. The only way i could do that is wright down the mats needed for it, then go off fighting the mobs who drop it.

    The artwork is outstanding, it brings me back to when I was first learning how truly powerful games could really be. All this 1080 HD next gen couldn't make me thing this game looks anything but beautiful. This is hand drawn, and it looks great.

    Overall, I can not recommend this game enough, If you liked SoTN, buy this game.

    I am using a xbox 360 controller and the controls are very good and tight,    … Expand
  3. cwilder06
    Feb 4, 2014
    10
    Not nearly enough press coverage on this game - unfairly got overlooked. As otherwise noted, it's derivative of Symphony of the Night and other great Metroidvania games. Personally, I feel it stands head and shoulders above other recent entries like Dust: An Elysian Tale and Guacamelee Relative to both, the story is more interesting, there is materially more life breathed into theNot nearly enough press coverage on this game - unfairly got overlooked. As otherwise noted, it's derivative of Symphony of the Night and other great Metroidvania games. Personally, I feel it stands head and shoulders above other recent entries like Dust: An Elysian Tale and Guacamelee Relative to both, the story is more interesting, there is materially more life breathed into the characters. Similarly, combat is much, much deeper (in exponential terms) and crisper in this game. The game is about three or four times longer than Guacamelee and Dust, and has more replay value due to better difficulty scaling and multiple characters. Further, the RPG elements, in terms of leveling, a host of items to find and upgrade, decisions in the game with substantial consequences, etc. are all present. I haven't enjoyed a Metroidvania this much since SoTN. If you don't like the genre then invariably it's not for you, otherwise strongly recommended. It's an injustice that IGN/Gamespot etc. have not given this more coverage.

    One small negative, upon rare occasions the game froze on my computer and proceeded to crash. This happened about 5 times in roughly 20 hours of play so definitely not game breaking, but was annoying nonetheless.    … Expand
  4. Mr_Steam
    Jan 4, 2014
    10
    Valdis Story takes a Metroidvania framework and adds technical combat, move-cancelling, timed block/parry and likeable characters that don't trap you in endless conversations loops.

    This is an action game and it shows. I found every single boss fight challenging (unlike Castlevania SotN where you can just SoulSteal past every boss), and the timed platforming challenges had me    Valdis Story takes a Metroidvania framework and adds technical combat, move-cancelling, timed block/parry and likeable characters that don't trap you in endless conversations loops.

    This is an action game and it shows.

    I found every single boss fight challenging (unlike Castlevania SotN where you can just SoulSteal past every boss), and the timed platforming challenges had me swearing at the screen every time I made a mistake, but were oh so satisfying once completed, and my skills were that much better as a result (not to mention the extra loot).

    The game has a unique potion system whereby potions are never lost when used, but refilled at a save point. They effectively act as continues, rezzing you automatically at the spot you died in the midst of the battle. It's really satisfying to find an extra potion as they are quite rare!

    The move-cancellation system is a real treat! At any time you can press down to cancel whatever you are doing. This can be to cancel out of a longer attack animation, or to recover after being hit. This also has the effect of hammering you towards the ground post haste, so can even be used to move around the levels quickly.
    Also once you hit the ground (or if you were already on the ground), you can immediately press left/right to dash in said direction! This is often used to get behind enemies that block from the front, or that are telegraphing overpowered attacks.

    Even when running from A to B, a quick 'down, forward' on the D-pad will give you a burst of speed to make the slight hesitation of pressing down worthwhile!

    The cancellation is on a 2 second timer so can't be abused after every single attack animation, but you can find/craft more charges, and learn skills that reset the charges.

    As you play the game you begin to transfer the cancel/dash and other moves to your muscle memory (the timed platforming sections are great for this, as while they start off easy enough, they soon become really challenging and require as many dashes and wall jumps as humanly possible).

    Once you are performing these technical moves on the battlefield, you feel like such a badass, dashing, dodging, countering, wall jumping, building combos and triggering assists from your 'party' (think of any recent fighting game that allows you to tag in a backup character for a second), or going all out in focus mode!

    There is no dodge rating or block percentage in this game; all skills must be performed by the player and timed perfectly for maximum results. Grinding can help to soften the edges of boss battles, but it's still on you to play well, especially once the timed platforming sections go from optional to compulsory, later in the game!

    All in all, Valdis Story is a great action platformer in the style of Metroidvania, and is the most fun I've had with a game since I replayed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on PS1 (earlier this morning).    … Expand
  5. Andresitooo
    Jan 4, 2014
    9
    so first of the people that gave the game a 1 is basically because they thought its to hard (it's difficult at times but try castlevania lords of shadow or dark souls). As far as game flaws, i played and beat this game in jan. 2014 and didn't notice very many (i'm sure it's been patched a few times).

    With that said: game combat is great. Some boss battles are very challenging and time    so first of the people that gave the game a 1 is basically because they thought its to hard (it's difficult at times but try castlevania lords of shadow or dark souls). As far as game flaws, i played and beat this game in jan. 2014 and didn't notice very many (i'm sure it's been patched a few times).

    With that said:
    game combat is great. Some boss battles are very challenging and time puzzles are VERY challenging at times but rewarding. Platforms are well done even if frustrating from time to time. This isn't just a button masher you have to learn to time and set off dodges (called skill cancels). Character build I had was really fun (i had a all warrior with enough guardian to get the reset cancel skill on successful cancel with wanderer rainment, dagger/bow wep (which you get 3/4 game wish was sooner) bloodletter crest and Faolan assistant with mostly agility decent luck and some strength and assassin skill that makes you invisible). Basically made me an assassin/ vampire. The music was great. Loved the art style. Everything was rather fluid. Overall a very good game just not a 10.

    Dislikes: broken baddy that floats and looks like Mew from pokemon with ice magic that freezes you with every attack and can't skill cancel once frozen so when hit with certain moves drained half my life because of the combo. also there is no 'world' map (just area map) which was frustrating at times. The lore was cool but the actual in game story was a little bland. These are my only complaints.

    Verdict: buy a copy it does have replay-ability worth it even at full price (15, but i got it on steam on sale though for like 5 bux i think) game is awesome. Don't buy a copy if your a that can't handle tough challenges here and there(nuff said!)    … Expand
  6. TSB
    Dec 15, 2013
    8
    One of the best games I ever played after a big disappointing year from some big titles in 2013 this game came from no where and gave me a great experience I love the combat system the boss's fight and the difficulty so much. the level design secrets challenges is nice with a pretty art style though the game needs a sharp details in higher res and a better menu but I can't complainOne of the best games I ever played after a big disappointing year from some big titles in 2013 this game came from no where and gave me a great experience I love the combat system the boss's fight and the difficulty so much. the level design secrets challenges is nice with a pretty art style though the game needs a sharp details in higher res and a better menu but I can't complain much after all it is an indie game made by 2 people only Impressive job and I wish to see other great indie games … Expand
  7. Lezard82
    Dec 22, 2013
    10
    It's a metroidvania in pure state. If you like this kind of games, this little piece of art is magic. It's like I've become a child again. And the game is hard and very fun. 100% recommended and enjoyable.
  8. HELLruler
    Dec 1, 2013
    9
    I usually don't play the same game more than once, but this one is really really cool
    First of all, I'd like to warn you: this game is hard. It's like Castlevania, the 2D game with hard bosses
    Even though challenging, if you dedicate yourself, you learn how to play and get better. The story did not call my attention, just like most games, but that's not what makes you play again and    I usually don't play the same game more than once, but this one is really really cool
    First of all, I'd like to warn you: this game is hard. It's like Castlevania, the 2D game with hard bosses

    Even though challenging, if you dedicate yourself, you learn how to play and get better. The story did not call my attention, just like most games, but that's not what makes you play again and again

    You can build your character in some different manners. Going for hard hitting attacks, or incredibly strong criticals, maybe a magic user you won't be left unrewarded
    The game flows well in combat, and skill cancel is your most important tool

    There are only 2 playable characters now, they'll add the other 2 later. But don't miss this adventure    … Expand
  9. Growly
    Nov 24, 2013
    8
    This is one of the best metroidvania games I've ever played. The combat system is almost perfect and the story is interesting enough. The only thing I don't like is the jump puzzles which may be too difficult. Well, there are some technical issues, but not critical.
  10. Christos_
    Jan 6, 2014
    8
    Very good and enjoyable game.
    The only negative thing is that it confuses you with the map about the places you must go. They should give more details...
    But overall is great.
  11. IM_MT_
    Jan 13, 2015
    10
    I will try to keep this short, but if you are a big fan of Castlevania SOTN and Super Metroid this is a must have.

    The game has tons of areas to explore, loads of weapons/armor items to find, a whole lot of customization, and everything about it is basically top notch at a budget price. The combat never gets boring, even if it takes a little getting used to. This game borrows quite    I will try to keep this short, but if you are a big fan of Castlevania SOTN and Super Metroid this is a must have.

    The game has tons of areas to explore, loads of weapons/armor items to find, a whole lot of customization, and everything about it is basically top notch at a budget price.

    The combat never gets boring, even if it takes a little getting used to. This game borrows quite a bit from SOTN but puts its own spin on things with a lot of platforming challenges (puzzles maybe) and unique spells and abilities for both of the playable characters. leveling up gives you points to distribute to your stats and they all make a big difference. There are tons of different abilities and skills to learn.

    The game really nails the exploration aspect of Super Metroid. I constantly found myself running around looking for new areas and items to acquire. There is a real feeling of mystery and adventure as you're adventuring around, even if you have specific goals most of the time (find a character here, make your way to a certain town to the east, etc.)

    I am not just giving this game a 10 because I like it a lot, I think it deserves it. It's hands down the best metroid-vania style game to come out in a LONG time. It's criminally underrated and it's really a shame it's so under the radar. A game with this much going for it should be on year end "best-of" lists.

    My only complaints would be that the jumping arc of your character is a little weird. Sometimes it makes the platforming kind of wonky, but you get used to it. If you think about it, the jump arc on Super Metroid was pretty weird, too. :P

    Also, the story wasn't bad and I'm glad that it didn't bog down the gameplay (it never spits endless long winded dialogue at you) but it wasn't exactly memorable for me. Maybe I wasn't paying a lot of attention because I wanted to get onto one of the awesome memorable boss battles.

    Only other complaint is that some of the enemies get palette swapped and reused throughout the game. There's a decent diversity but I would have liked to see some more enemy types. I will give it a reprieve since it's an independent (and amazing) budget title.

    I've played other so called "great" metroid-vania style games (the underwhelming Dust: Elysian Tale and the extremely disappointing Xeodrifter), and I am a harsh critic. But i can without a doubt recommend to this anybody looking for a great, challenging, and rewarding action-rpg-metroidvania type game. I've put 30 hours into it and I'm still coming back to playing it after beating it once already. Even the music is top notch, creating the mood perfectly and adding its own flair on the whole thing. Really high quality stuff.

    I'm serious. JUst get this game. It's worth every penny. It's a freaking steal. I hate most modern games and the direction gaming is going, and this is true to the classics in every way. Like I said, it borrows a lot from the best in the genre but changes it up with a unique and fun combat system and lots of customization with quite a bit of challenge thrown in. It all comes together being one of my favorite gaming experiences I've had in a really long time.    … Expand
  12. DeKappAz
    Nov 10, 2013
    9
    The best side scrolling ARPG I ever played. Challenging boss, addictive gameplay, satisfying progression, lots of collective. It's like combination of DMC(combo), Rockman(map&boss), Maplestory(skill progession) and DotA(stat proggession), worked out PERFECTLY. Unfortunately, the plot is not that thick and there's no dialogue voice, but those are not the main concern after all. Gamepad isThe best side scrolling ARPG I ever played. Challenging boss, addictive gameplay, satisfying progression, lots of collective. It's like combination of DMC(combo), Rockman(map&boss), Maplestory(skill progession) and DotA(stat proggession), worked out PERFECTLY. Unfortunately, the plot is not that thick and there's no dialogue voice, but those are not the main concern after all. Gamepad is HEAVILY recommended.
    P.S The game might be too hard for some casual gamer.    … Expand
  13. Dirigible
    Nov 10, 2013
    9
    This is a metroidvania game which throws you in without explaining much and expects you to figure stuff out for yourself. If you can get past the initial shock, however, it's a fantastic game.
    THE PROS:
    The are multiple characters, each has a surprising amount of customization options, and which one you pick affects the story of the game. The combat is deep, the platforming can be very    This is a metroidvania game which throws you in without explaining much and expects you to figure stuff out for yourself. If you can get past the initial shock, however, it's a fantastic game.
    THE PROS:
    The are multiple characters, each has a surprising amount of customization options, and which one you pick affects the story of the game. The combat is deep, the platforming can be very challenging, and there are loads of secrets for you to find. Easily entertaining for more than one playthrough.
    THE CONS:
    The game has some design faults which make it a bit frustrating. The player is told where to go, but the lack of overworld map and quest markers make it hard to actually get there. Movement powers and magic occupy the same slots, forcing you to swap spells whenever you need to platform. Some of the boss and puzzle designs are downright cruel.
    VERDICT:
    If you're already a fan of the genre it's worth buying. If you've never played a metroidvania before, the complicated systems and lack of guidance might be too much for you.    … Expand
  14. idososa
    Nov 2, 2013
    8
    Someone said that old-school games like Megaman and Metroid have the perfect amount of fun and difficulty, making them a FARD game. This said, Valdis Story is brutally hard and exceptionally fun, making it one of the most enjoyable experience I had so far this year.
  15. auditionko
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    i understand why some people don't like this game.the game's challenges are quite hard .it's save system is old and unforgiving but, that's exactly what i love about old school games.The combat is great.The art style is brilliant .it has a good character customization and a lot of replay value.just buy it it's worth more than 15 bucks.
  16. allenxz
    Jan 26, 2014
    10
    es un gran juego muy entretenido ademas que invita mucho a la exploración
    este juego me recuerda el mítico castlevania y metroid.
    aun que tiene su propia esencia espero esto les invite a jugarlo es genial
  17. Lustner
    Jul 1, 2014
    8
    Though building heavily upon Castlevania, this game has quite a different philosophy behind it. I'd say Castlevania excelled in and emphasised exploring, whereas Valdis Story aims to grip the player with its often cruel platforms and bosses - a moment's distraction usually means death. So we have:

    Pros: - Well-crafted game mechanics - Challenging and not too repetitive bosses -    Though building heavily upon Castlevania, this game has quite a different philosophy behind it. I'd say Castlevania excelled in and emphasised exploring, whereas Valdis Story aims to grip the player with its often cruel platforms and bosses - a moment's distraction usually means death. So we have:

    Pros:
    - Well-crafted game mechanics
    - Challenging and not too repetitive bosses
    - Beautiful and fluid visuals
    - Nice soundtrack
    - Good replay value

    Cons:
    - Poor map traversal (one often has to fight a long way to get to their objective, even though there is fast travel)
    - Dash (Skill Cancel) is sometimes difficult to get right because it uses the same button as magic. I did not quite understand why it was not set to another button
    - Some events permanently affect your game, making it impossible to obtain gear and such
    - Underdeveloped/underused item and shop systems

    Overall, it is that game which brings satisfaction after some suffering from trying to defeat a boss or get to a platform without having to backtrack once again. Recommended mainly for hardcore gamers.    … Expand
  18. Fuini
    Jun 23, 2015
    9
    Very good game.
    An old school metroidvania with greatly improved combat mechanisms. I just can not stop playing it :
    _four characters with very different gameplays but all of them fun as hell in their own way and a slightly different story _fairly long if you're not a sort of gamepad god _pretty deep character customization (nothing is as simple as it appears at first) _very    Very good game.
    An old school metroidvania with greatly improved combat mechanisms. I just can not stop playing it :
    _four characters with very different gameplays but all of them fun as hell in their own way and a slightly different story
    _fairly long if you're not a sort of gamepad god
    _pretty deep character customization (nothing is as simple as it appears at first)
    _very challenging .... but always fair !
    _one hardcore mode (sort of)
    _craft is a bit hard to understand but is interesting ; possibility to use weapons from earlier finished game.
    _beautiful
    _dynamic story (yes 3 events that could change what happen several hours after is dynamic xD)

    As cons I should mention the fact that the manual is very lacking and the game is in a serious need of an in-game map

    I read from some negative / mixed review a bunch of issues that some people had. The vast majority of these issues has been fixed. So :
    _you can now rebind the skill cancel button
    _the slow downs on some very good PC has been "fixed" - say, greatly lessen. I was one of them before the last patch. Now it's well playable event if it's still not as smooth as on a PC without the issue (I have both)
    _the control reactivity has been fixed    … Expand
  19. kagekirazuul
    Oct 22, 2019
    9
    great game. action and controls are responsive. environment rewards exploration and trying to get to areas you're not supposed to be at with a low level.

    menus and equipment is a little wonky. However, the character progression and story shine on the solid foundation of the gameplay action.
  20. kasparius
    Jul 17, 2017
    8
    As a big fan of Metroidvanias, I had heard good things about Valdis Story, so I got it during a steam sale.
    I wasn't sold at first, it seemed a little silly and unrefined, but as I kept playing I discovered that the combat was far better and customizable than I thought. Kind of like a platinum game combat, with combos, super powers, etc... Far deeper than you would expect from a indie    As a big fan of Metroidvanias, I had heard good things about Valdis Story, so I got it during a steam sale.
    I wasn't sold at first, it seemed a little silly and unrefined, but as I kept playing I discovered that the combat was far better and customizable than I thought. Kind of like a platinum game combat, with combos, super powers, etc... Far deeper than you would expect from a indie platform game like this. I played on normal mode and it was still a fair challenge. The bosses are really good in this game. As for the rest, it offers a nice selection of areas with various timed puzzles that are quite fun to do.

    The only main issue is that it is hard to remember where you've been and where you need to go, or where a place is. There is a map when you are in an area, but you can't access a bigger map with the names of the place, etc... There is also a tram that brings you to 3 different towns, but sometimes a fast travel would be nice when you've been wandering about for a while.

    The game offers new characters to play with, once you finished the game and even items that can port over to a new game, and I can definitely see myself playing this game again in the future with a different character build.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Games.cz
    Mar 25, 2014
    80
    A great and hardcore platformer with RPG elements that's been created by just two people. But actually, this information does not matter while playing. The important thing is that Valdis Story is excellent fun for plenty of hours.
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  2. MMORPG.com
    Mar 17, 2014
    75
    If you’re a fan of Metroidvania games, or indie games in general, you should definitely check out Valdis Story. With multiple playable characters, an interesting world to explore, and engaging gameplay, there are few reasons not to give this gem a chance. It may not do everything perfectly and it doesn’t tread much new ground, but it delivers a great experience wrapped up inside of a beautiful package for a cheap price. Bust out your PC game pad and take Wyatt on his adventure in the Abyssal City.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 23, 2014
    80
    One can’t really complain about the lack of platformers these days, but when you pick up Valdis, you can be sure of getting the highest quality available. [Issue#238]
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